Where do you get your sweaters? Thrift store? Ebay? What kind of wool should I be looking for? Merino, cashmere, wool blend: which is best? These would be used primarily at night, so is thicker wool more desirable?

Thrift store on sale day. If you are looking for night time I would avoid cashmere and most merinos, but some of the thicker merinos would be fine. Soft lambswool would make a good choice. You kind of just need to go by feel. Look for something reasonably soft and pretty sturdy.

I look in the Mens section. Usually Mens sweaters are thicker and bigger.
It should be 80% wool or more.

I like soft Merino. I don't felt the outside because then they have no stretch. I have added a felted piece to the wet zone. It depends on how you make them. I like to use the ribbed bands off the sweater for the waist and legs. I guess if you add elastic you could felt it. If you add elastic, I recommend Lastin or clear elastic. If you use certain regular elastics, they can absorb urine and you have to wash much more frequently as they will stink. Also use 100% polyester thread not cotton for the same reason.

I got all mine at Thrift stores for under $5. Some I paid 50 cents. Look for bag sales at Thrift stores when you can fill a bag for $5. Also look at yard sales. I've actually found a brand new wool sweaters ... Grandma sent it and the guy never wore it or something.

If you buy on Ebay, you will pay much more due to shipping.

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Sahm married to a wonderful man who does the dishes with DS 11/18/02 and DD 7/11/11

Thanks for the tips. I've looked at the thrift store but didn't have a lot of success finding anything. Probably because we live in the south, wool sweaters aren't as popular. Just need to keep looking though.

Salvo on Wednesdays(1/2 price day), or Kohl's men's clearance rack. I look for 100% wool or lambswool that is very soft and plush to touch, or cashmere. I've had excellent luck at Kohl's getting fantastic Men's 2XL+ sweaters for $3-10. At that size they are worth the price even if they're $10-15 because you can make so many garments with them, and those super large sizes don't sell as well as your standard M, L, etc. Around here, anyway. LOL

I agree with PP cashmere will be thinner. Virgin Lambswool is great. I have greates sucess rates with things that have the "wool mark" on the tag. Upscale brands are usually made of the finest quality wool. I find many Charter brand wool sweaters here and have good success with them. They felt well if you want to, but also just remain pretty soft and seem durable.

Will you be felting them at all? If so, Ive only ever had 1 Charter brand that didnt felt much, but it was a really really fine knit yard and very thin. I actually still made a wrap that I just double layerd and longies that ds wears over a wool cover at night or just over whatever diaper he has on at night ... they dont wick moisture like cotton.

I live in Southern California (so warm sweaters arent entirely necessary here either) but if I go to a big thrift store or a thrift store that gets alot of old people stuff, I find lots of wool sweaters, esp in the mens section. Womens sweaters tend to be thinner and more likely to have embellishments that limit the amount of useable material. I usually end up paying $2-3/ each sweater.

Thanks for all the good ideas, everyone! I've been out of town over the weekend so haven't had a chance to catch up on this thread. When I have a chance, I want to look at a couple more thrift stores in my area and see what I can find.